Motor-driven wheeled toy



Feb. 1954 a. e. HUARD ETAL MOTQR-DRIVEN WHEEL-ED TOY 2 Sheets-Shet 1 Filed July 14, 1949 Fie. 6.

m U Hr y 6 g M o m P is u M 6w & w i A r w E0 a. a e g 8 MOTOR-bRIVEN WHEELED TOY Filed July 14. 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fit-1:7.

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Patented Feb. 9, i954 2,6eas91 MOTOR-DRIVEN WHEELED TOY Georges Geraud Huard,'Paris, and Raymond Jean Ernest Itoger, Suresnes, France Application July 14, 1949, Serial No. 104,684 Claims priority, application France April 30, 1949 Claims. Cl. 46107) The present invention relates to toy mechanisms and more specifically to a novel mechanism adapted to produceirregular movements such as rectilinear, swinging, rotary movements and turning movements to either side and retarding the movement of a toy.

One object of the invention is to provide a toy in which a motor is adapted todrive a shaft operatively connected with propulsing members,

such as wheels, etc.-and the arrangement includes also one or a plurality of cam members rotatingfreely on the shaft and controlled by separate transmission means so that when the lifting portions of the cam member or members engage the ground eitherindividuallyor simultaneously the toy will be lifted, turned, retarded,

etc. thus enhancing its attractiveness.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a toy in which'the cam members are-adapted to actuate other auxiliary parts of the toy such as heads, etc. in order to impart thereto various movements by means of transmission members such as push-rods, rocking levers and the like.

These movements may be used notably in the manufacture of toys which may be thereby caused to effect dancing, turning and other varying movements.

The present invention comprises also novel industrial products consisting of toys fitted with the mechanism broadly defined above.

The invention will be now described more in detail with reference to the affixed drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the mechanism according to the invention.

Figs. 2 and 3 are side views of a cam member shown in two different positions.

Fig. 4 is a front elevation, similar to Fig. 1 of another form ofmechanism according-to the invention.

Fig. 5 is a side view of a cam member.

Fig. 6 illustrates the relative position of two cam members having lifting portions angularly spacedrelationship to eachother.

Fig. 6a is a perspective view showing the two cam members of Fig. 6 mounted on a shaft.

Fig. 7 is a front elevation of another embodiment of theinvention wherein the cam members actuate auxiliary parts...

Fig. 8 is a partly elevational and partly sectional side view of the device shown in Fig. 7, and

I Fig. 9 is a front elevation of a detail according to a modification of'the invention.

' Referring now to Fig.1, a toymotor device is seen comprising a set of wheels I, 2 fast with an axle 3. .The axle 3 is driven by a clockwork motor consisting of a spiral spring 4 the resilient force of which actuates in the known manner a toothed wheel 5 secured on the spring shaft 6 trunnioned in a strap member I of U-shaped cross-section; the strap member I may be secured on a plate member 8 which forms the under portion of the casing of the toy and is suitably apertured to permit the wheels I and 2 to extend therethrough for contact with the supporting surface. The toothed wheel 5 meshes with a pinion-9 integral with or wedged on a shaft [0. The shaft [0 carries also on one side a toothedwheel II wedged or secured thereto and in constantmeshing engagement with a pinion I2 fast with the axle 3. The shaft I0 is also provided, on the other side, with another pinion I3 wedgedor secured thereto and meshing in turn with a toothed wheel I4 mounted for free rotation on the axle 3 but forming through a boss I5 an integral unit with a cam member I6. I n

With the arrangement described above, the cam member [6 is thus driven separately and independently from the. wheels I, 2. -When the lifting portion I 6 of this cam member is not engaging the ground IT, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, the toy will roll normally by means of its two wheels -I, 2. On the other hand, when the cam boss l6 engages the ground, as shown in Fig. 3, the wheel 2 and the entire side portion of the toy where the cam member is fitted will be raised so that the toy will perform-a turning movement.

A modified'form of the device according to the invention is illustrated in vFig. 4 inwhich two cam members 24, 25 are operatively connected with a pair of wheels 2|, 22 fast with anaxle 23. The parts 4, 5, 6, I, 9, II), II,- I2 and I3 are the same as in Fig. 1. Instead of one pinion I 3, there are two such pinions l3, I3 meshing with toothed wheels 14,14 respectively, 'each toothed wheel I4, l4 being integral with acam member 25, 24 through-boss portions I5,I5', both units consisting of elements I4, I5, 25 and I4, I5, 24 respectively, rotating freely on the axle 23. The cam members 24, 25 may comprise lifting portions 24, 25 in angularly shifted relationship to each other as shown in Fig. 5, whereby the two sides of the toy will be raised by turns from the ground.

Fig. 6 is a detail view showing a pair of cam members 24", 25" having the radially enlarged portions thereof bodily registered with each other. When these radiallyenlarged portions engage *wards. provided for instance with a head 35, while the the ground the toy is so lifted that both wheels are clear from the supporting ground and the toy .is brought to a relative standstill.

The portions '24", are preferably formed with edges having different or shifted inclinations, so that, as the cam members rotate together, first one and then the other of the radial high points engages the supporting surface, thus causing thetoy to oscillate.

When the bottom plate 8 is relatively high above the ground or supporting surface one or more legs may be provided fore and aft beneath the plate for limiting the rocking movements of the toy.

Fig. 7 illustrates a mechanism similar *tothat in Fig. 4 but wherein the wheels 3I, 32 are set at a greater distance apart from the corresponding cam members 34, 35 mounted on the "axle 33.

Cam members 34, 35 serve the same purpose as that described in the former embodiments of the invention but they'furthermore control'additiona1 movements. Thus, thexcammember 34"acts upon a push-rod 25 passing through a hole in a lug 21 secured to the'strap member 1 and another hole 28 in the top wall of the'casing 29 enclosing the mechanism. The push rod' 26 is thus guided for axial displacement through both holes. An annular abutment 30 integral or'fast with the rod '25 prevents the latter'from escaping up- The upper end of the "rodlfimay be lower end thereof bears "bygravity upon the peripheral edge of theeam member 34. With this arrangement, it will be readily understood that the head orother attachment fitted ontheupper end of the rod 26 will be reciprocated in the'vertical direction under the influence of the cam member 34.

The cam member acts upon one of the arms 31 of a bell-crank lever mounted for swinging movement on the winding shaft; this shaft has an end 6 of square cross-section adapted to receive a winding key and'positioned in front of an aperture 38-provided in the casing. The arm "-31' of the bell-crank lever-has a fork-shaped end "having engaged therein a pin 39 secured to a rod 40 guided'in a hole made 'in a lug 4| secured to the strap member I and also in .a hole 42 provided in the top of the casing '29,. A tension spring 43 urges the arm ,3! of the bellerank lever against the cam, member 35. When the projecting portion of the :cam member 35 engages the-arm 3'|,the fork-shaped-end of arm 31' actuates the pin 39.,and causesgrod 4a to rotate about its "axis, this trod being "prevented from pivoting in a vertical planeby the provision of i the aforesaid hole in lug 4i and 'hole 42- in the top plate of the casing. The head .44 supported by the rod 40 will therefore accomplish rotary movements about the axis of the rod during the rotation of the .cam member '35. *A retaining-shoulder '45 is formed or secured on the rod 40 and a head "46 provided on the outer end of the pin 39-will prevent disengagement of the fork-end 31' from thepin'w.

In the modification shownin Fig. 9 the rod 40 supporting thehead -44' is mounted freely on the horizontal pin .41 secured to the strap member]. The fork-shaped end 33' is operatively connected with the pin39' fast with the rod 4!)" so that this rod together witha head 44' carried thereby may effect swinging movements about the pin 41. Thesemovements are permitted'by an elongated'aperture provided in the top wall of casing 29. It is to be understood that while the embodiments of Figs. 7, 3 and 9 have been shown to include two cam members 34 and 35 which have regularly displaced enlarged portions, as in Figs. 4 and 5, the same means for actuating auxiliary parts of the toy may be provided in the embodiment having two cam members which are in angular registration, as in Fig. 6, or in the embodiment having only one cam member, such as is shown in Fig. 1.

' According to the specific use for which the device is intended the toy may be actuated either in straight line, in turning movement on either side, or-stoppedor still oscillated in various man- As-explained in relation to Figs. 7 to 9, the cam members may be so formed as to obtain additional movements such as lifting or lowering,-rotary and swinging of various elements provided on the toy. Thus a toy-shooter may be made wherein the main structure will perform the various movements'described above while the heads .ofpassengerson the vehicle willbe lifted, lowered, rotated and rocked.

The'present invention, aswill be obvious'from the above description of some forms of embodimentthereof, makes it possible to apply the novel mechanism to toys so as to obtain'various movements such as dancing movements which are ex tremely attractive.

the device shown, which are merely by way of illustration and not limitation as various and other forms ofthe device will, of course, be apparent taizhoseskilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

What we claim is:

l. A mechanism'for producing irregular movements of a toy comprising a frame, a shaft journalled in said frame, wheels fixed on said shaft and positioned to normally engage a supporting surface, a motor on said frame, a first transmission means connected between said motor and said shaft for rotating said shaftand hence said wheels, at least one cam member rotatably mounted on saidsha'ft at a location axially inward of said wheels for rotation independent of said wheels, said cam member being formed with a portionhaving a'radial dimension greater than that of said wheelsto periodically engage the supporting surface for lifting said frame and disengaging one of said wheels from the supportingsurface, and second transmission means con nected betweensaid first transmission means and said cam member to rotate said cam member at a rotationalspeed difierent from that of said Wheels.

2. A mechanism for producing irregular movements of a toy comprising a frame, a shaft journalled in'said frame, a pair of wheels fixed on said shaft to normally engage a supporting surface, at least one cam member rotatably mounted on said shaft adjacent each of said wheels and rotatable independent of said wheels, each of said cam mem'bershaving a portion with a radial dimension greater than that of said wheels to periodically engage the supporting surface and support said frameduring said periodic engagement, a motor 'carried'by said frame, first transmission means between said motor and said shaft for rotating said wheels, and second transmission means connected between said first transmission means and said cam members and rotating the latter at a rotational speed different from that of said wheels and with the supporting surface engaging portions of said cam members in angular registration so that said wheels are periodically and simultaneously lifted clear of the supporting surface.

3. A mechanism for producing irregular movements of a toy comprising a frame, a shaft journalled in said frame, a pair of wheels fixed on said shaft to normally engage a supporting surface, a cam member rotatably mounted on said shaft adjacent each of said wheels for rotation independent of the latter, each of said cam members being formed with a radially enlarged portion extending beyond the periphery of the adjacent wheel to periodically engage the supporting surface during the rotation of the cam member, a motor carried by said frame, first transmission means connected between said motor and said shaft for rotating said wheels, and second transmission means connected between said first transmission means and said cam members and rotating the latter at a rotational speed different from that of said wheels and with said radially enlarged portions angularly spaced apart so that said wheels are alternately lifted clear of the supporting surface.

4. A mechanism for producing irregular movements of a toy comprising a frame, a shaft journalled in said frame, a pair of driving wheels fixed on said shaft to normally engage a supporting surface, a cam member rotatably mounted on said shaft adjacent each of said wheels for rotation independent of the latter, said cam members being formed with radially enlarged portions having oppositely inclined edges projecting radially beyond the periphery of the adjacent wheel to periodically engage the supporting surface during the rotation of said cam members, a motor on said frame, first transmission means connected between said motor and said shaft for rotating said wheels, and second transmission means connected between said first transmission means and said cam members to rotate the latter at a rotational speed different from that of said wheels.

5. In a toy having movable auxiliary parts, mechanism for producing irregular movements of the toy as a whole and of the movable auxiliary parts; said mechanism comprising a frame, a shaft journalled in said frame, wheels fixed on said shaft to normally engage a supporting surface, a motor carried by said frame, first transmission means connected between said motor and said shaft for rotating said wheels, at least one cam member rotatably mounted on said shaft adjacent a wheel for rotation independent of said wheels, said cam member being formed with a radially enlarged portion projecting radially beyond the periphery of said adjacent wheel to periodically engage the supporting surface as said cam member rotates, second transmission means connected between said first transmission means and said cam member for rotating the latter at a rotational speed different from that of said wheels, and actuating means movably carried by said frame in engagement with the edge of said cam member to be displaced by the latter and adapted to be connected to the movable auxiliary parts of the toy so that the such parts are actuated during the rotation of said cam member.

GEORGES GERAUD HUARD. RAYMOND JEAN ERNEST ROGER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 487,613 Douthit Dec. 6, 1 892 2,135,850 Schmid Nov. 8, 1938 2,250,215 Berger July 22, 1941 2,587,052 Lohr Feb. 26, 1952 

